Automatic time switch



May .22, 1923. E. A. MEYER AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.

May 22, 1923.

E. A. MEYER AUTOMATIC TIME SWITCH 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.

Patented May 22, 1323.

UNITEQ STATES EMIL A. MEYElt, HOUSTQIT, TEXAS.

AUTQMATTC TIME SWILTUTI.

Application filed Qctcber 3, 1321'. Serial lie. 595,259.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that l, EMIL A. MEYER, citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county. of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic Time Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to new and useful improvements in an automatic time switch."

One object of the invention is to provide an automatically operated switch for completing and breaking an electrical circuit.

Another object is to provide a switch of the character specified in combinaton with an operating mechanism which will open and close the switch at predetermined times.

A further. feature resides in the provision of an automatic switch, in combination with an operating mechanism which may be set to open and close the switch at any time selected.

The switch is particularly useful for switching, on and oil, electric lights in buildings, show windows, electric sham, and like places, but may also be used wherever itw may be desired to complete or break an electrical circuit automatically.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features or construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a'front elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is-a side elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the lower part thereof, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 4--4.of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a suitable casing with the front wall removed and the numeral 2 designates a switch board therein. This switch board is formed of insulating material and upstanding therefrom are standards 3 to which one end or" the switch 4 is pivoted. The switch is formed with a depending tongue 5 adapted to fit between the flexible jaws 6, 6 of the bracket 7. The standards 3 and bracket '7' are formed with the binding posts 8 and 9 which extend through, and are anchored to, the switch board, and connected to these respective binding .posts are the electrical conductors l0 and 11. The switch and its adjacent parts are preferably formed or" copper but may be formed of any conductmg material.

The free end of the switch carries a plate 12 0t non-conducting material, and a strong coil spring 13 is attached at its lower end to said plate and at its upper end a fined anchor ther-eabove.

Mounted in the casing above the switch there is chronometer mechanism 1% of any well known type and preferably actuated by a spring motor 15, which operates through central shaft 18 to, drive said mechanism. This shaft has a disc lilre dial 17 fixed to its outer end which is gauged to correspond to a twentyfour hour clock dial,

that is to indicate the hours from noon to midnight and from midnight to noon. Fixed to the outer end of the shaft 16 are the adjustable trip arms 18 and 19 which are held clamped tight on the shaft by means of the locir nut 20.

The numerals 21 and 22 designate triggers which are pivoted at their outer ends to the respective posts 23 and 24 and wl'icse other. ends are beveled and termed with the notches 25 and 26 respectively. These triggers are aligned with the respective trip arms 18 and 19 and are actuated thereby.

Attached at their lower ends to the respective triggers are the pull springs 2? and 28 whose upper ends are attached to the chronometer frame. These springs normally hold the free ends of the triggers elevated, but as the dial 17 rotates the outer beveled ends of the trip arms 18 and 19 contact with the beveled ends of said triggers 21 and 22 successively and depress them. "When said arms align with the respective notches 25 and 26 the corresponding springs 27 and 28 operate to again elevate said triggers.

These triggers have upstanding projections 29 and 30 which contact with the respective stops 31 and 32, carried by the chronorneter frame, and their upward movement is thereby limited.

The pivoted end of the trigger 21 has 2. depending hook 33 fixed thereto and simi: larly the pivoted end of the trigger 22 has the lock bar 34 fixed thereto.

Fastened to a central rotatable post 35 there is the lever 36, one end of which is formed with an engaging catch 37 "formed to engage with the hook 33, and also has a anchored to a stationary anchor thereabove.

The numeral. 41 designates a bracket whose ends are over turned into parallel relation and formed into aligned bearings in which the Vertical push bar 42 slides. A

push spring43 surrounds said push bar and rests on the lower bearing thereof and its upper end presses against-the pin44 carried by said bar. This bracket 41 has the bearing rods 45, 45 fastened to the back side thereof which fit into aligned bearings 46, 46 carried by the rear wall of the casing. A pull spring 47 is attached at one end to the bracket and at its other end to the casing.

Pivoted to the rear wall of the casing there is a rocker 48 one end of which has the push finger 49, formed integral therewith and aligned behind the bracket 41 and the rear side of the other end of which is formed with a depression or notch 50. The rotary post 35 has an upstanding bearin rod 51 which presses against the rear si e of the notched end of said rocker and is adapted to ride into and out of said notch as the post 35 rotates. There is a fiat push spring 52 fastened to the rear wall of the casing and'whose free end-rests against the other end of the rocker and holds the push finger 49 thereof against the bracket 41, and also holds the notched end of the rocker yieldingly against the rod'5l.

The trip arms may be set at any hours desired by adjusting them to the desired place when the lock nut20 is loosened.

Assuming that the switch is open and it is desired to close the same at six in the evening and then again open it at five in the morning so. as to turn on and off the lights the trip arms will be adjusted to these hours, all of which is illustrated in F igure 1.

he dial will rotate corresponding to the movement of the hour hand of a clock and when the time for turning on the lights has arrived the arm 18 will depress the trigger 21 and release the hook 33 from the catch 37. The spring 40 will then operate the lever 36 to force the finger 38 against the late 12 and this will close the switch. eanwhile the arm 18 will align with the notch 25 and the free end of the trigger 21 will be elevated by the spring 27 and the hook 33 will be moved back to its former position. As the switch is closed the late 12 will force back the lower end of tiie lock bar 34, the spring 28 yielding to permit this and when the plate has cleared the lower end of this bar said spring 28 will operate to carry said bar into locking position above the late and the switch will be locked in close position.

As the lever 36 is operated the rod 51 will ride out of the notch 50 and move the correspondingend of the rocker 48 forwardly and its other end-rearwardly, releasing the bracket from the pressure of the push finger 49 and permitting the pull spring 47 to operate to carry said bracket back and bring the upper end of the push bar closely adjacent the front face of the master gear 53 of the motor. This gear has a plurality of studs 54 spaced a uniform distance apart and projecting out from the face thereof. As said gear rotates. the oncoming stud engages against the upper end of the push bar 42 and forces it down against the face 39 of the'lever 36 and depress this end of said lever and elevates the other end and causes the catch 37 thereof to engage with the hook 33 to lock said lever in inactive position. Meanwhile thebearing rod 51 has been carried back into the notch 50, permitting the closed, means normally holdin the switch open when released from said ock, a suitable closing device, a lock for securing said closing device in inactive position, means for disengaging. said closing device from its locking means to permit the switch to close, means for releasing the switch from its locking means to permit switch to open, means for restoring the switch closing device to inactive position after it has closed the switch, a chronometer mechanism, means carried thereby and arranged to actuate said disengaging means, said restoring means and said releasing means in succession.

2. A device of the character described includin an electric switch, a switch lock normally in position to hold the switch closed, means normally holding the switch 0 en when released from said lock, a suita le closing device, a lock for securing said closing device in inactive position, means for disengaging said closing device from its locking means to permit the switch to close, means for releaslng the switch from its .locking means to permit switch to open,

means for restoring the switch closing device to inactive position after it has closed the switch, a chronometer mechanism, means carried thereby and arranged to actuate said disengaging means, said restoring means and said releasing means in succession, the means actuating said disengaging means and releasing means being adjustable.

3. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close and open the switch at adjustable time intervals, means to move the closing means out of the path of openingmovement of the switch and means to operate the last named means a fixed time intervals.

4. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close the switch, means to lock the switch in closed position, a chronometer mechanism and adjustable means carriedthereby to release the locking means andv operate the closing means at adjustable time intervals, means to move the closing means out of the path of opening movement of the switch and means carried by the chronometer to operate the last named means at fixed time intervals.

5. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close the switch, means to lock the switch in closed position, means to move and hold the closing means out of the path of opening movement of the switch, and means to release successively the locking means and the closing means and to operate the means to move the closing means.

6. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close the switch, means to open the switch, a chronometer mechanism, means carried by the chronometer to operate the closing and opening means,

means to move the closing means out of the path of opening movement of the switch means, carried by the chronometer to operate the last named means, and means to move the moving means out of operative connection with the chronometer mechanism.

7. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close the switch, means to open the switch, a chronometer mechanism, means carried by the chronometer to operate the opening and closing means at adjustable time intervals, means to move the closing means out of the path of opening movement of the chronometer, means carried by the chronometer to operate the last named means at fixed intervals, and means operated by the closing means to move the moving means out of operative connection with the chronometer when the closing means are raised out of the path of opening movement of the switch.

8. The combination with an electrical switch, of means to close and open the switch at variable time intervals, and means to move the closing means out of the path of opening movement of the switch at predetermmed time intervals. 1

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL A. MEYER.

Witnesses:

W. H. DUNLAY, E. V. HARDWAY. 

